Shevet Achim

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The Baltimore Ashkelon Partnership of the Associated has generously funded a new school twinning model called Shevet Achim. Shevet Achim benefits from the support of the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) who currently help manage 500 school twinning relationships. We are cultivating relationships between 5 schools in each community and have access to a shared platform for paired digital classrooms, a library of resources and teaching tools, professional training and the establishment of a common language of Israel and Jewish engagement. If you have any questions about Shevet Achim, please contact Joan Vander Walde or call 410.735.5020

The following Baltimore & Ashkelon schools are continuing their Shevet Achim engagement during the 2018-19, 5779 school year.

Beth El Congregational School and Arlozorov School

The Joseph and Corinne Schwartz Religious School of Beth Israel Congregation and Nof Yam Bet School

Bolton Street Synagogue and Mekif Hey School

Krieger Schechter Day School and Omanuyot School

Ohr Chadash Academy and Madaim School

Shevet Achim is an exciting project that builds relationships between the Baltimore and Ashkelon partnership communities. This three year project starts with conversations about ideas and ideals, and in turn, inspires deep connections, grounded in Jewish values.

The schools collaboratively envision and implement engaging and creative educational experiences to foster meaningful relationships between learning communities in both cities. Students and teachers establish personal connections with each other, learn more about each other's interests and communities. During this, our second year, of our second three year cohort, students and teachers are learning more about Jewish communities and building our own communities.

We have developed in partnership with the Jewish Agency for Israel’s school twinning program a thematic collection of lessons, Building Community Through School Twinning that are being implemented this year. This winter we are planning a delegation visit of school principals, administrators and teachers from Ashkelon to Baltimore. During the visit educators will collaborate to tailor lessons for each pair of schools, co-teach lessons in twinned schools, further develop meaningful relationships, and plan joint cummulative projects for the third year. Visitors from Ashkelon will also have the opportunity to learn first hand about Jewish Baltimore and Jewish life in America.